


The Devil You Know

by pukingflowers



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Anxiety, Bad guys galore, Bc they r too cute, Bipper, Cultists, Dipper and Bill have to share his meatbag, Dipper is an anxious boi, Eternally screaming Bill, Grunkles 4 life, Healthy dose of angst, Hilarity Ensues, Human Bill Cipher, Hurt Dipper Pines, Hurt/Comfort, Idk if this qualifies as a healthy relationship but it's pretty wholesome so, Kidnapping, M/M, Mabel is so good, Pacifica/Mabel comes later, Panic Attacks, She and Bill become bffs, Slow Burn Romance, Super scary demons threaten gravity falls, Whump, best girl, luv them
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-04-03
Packaged: 2019-03-25 00:32:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13822710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pukingflowers/pseuds/pukingflowers
Summary: Two years after Weirdmageddon, a new evil arrives in Gravity Falls. A boy suffers a momentary lapse in judgment and accidentally summons a certain triangular dream demon/vanquished foe. However, without a human host and with Dipper being his only connection to this dimension, the two are forced to coexist within one vessel. Will they come together to stop their shared enemy, or will their differences tear them apart?Or, better the devil you know (than the devil you don't).Slow burn romance. Tons of icky bad guys. Eventual Human!Bill. Yes, A LOT of Bill’s dialogue is in caps. Because he is eternally screaming and eternally extra.Warnings for violence, language, typical triangle demon hijinks, Dipper has anxiety. And finds himself caught in the middle of a battle between two powerful demons. The usual. I'm not good at beginnings but I swear it gets good.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first published fic so pls be nice but also comment/kudos/give me a sign.  
> I initially started this with a completely different idea in mind but things kind of spiraled out of control around the fifth chapter so…get ready for a lot of twists and turns. And a really lame first few chapters bc I hate introductions.  
> Don't judge my grammar and generous use of commas! This is a one man show, ok?!

Something didn’t feel right. Dipper felt a shift the moment they returned to Gravity Falls for the summer. It had been a full two years since Weirdmageddon ended, but Dipper could feel something had changed the moment they drove past the town’s welcome sign. They continued on as they normally would, getting up to their usual hijinks; they discovered an entire race of centaurs in the forest just beyond the Mystery Shack, and Dipper had nearly been spirited away by fairies not once, but three times in the month since they returned. Mabel had saved him every time somehow, grappling hook in hand (now decked out in jewels and glitter after she had gotten her hands on even more glitter glue). Needless to say, his entry on fae folk was by far the most concise and accurate of all his contributions to the journals.  
  
Then the dreams started. At first they were the kind that he forgot as soon as he woke up. But each day they became more and more intense. Figures in red robes chanting around a pentagram. A huge creature clawing its way out of the ground, followed by fire and destruction.  
  
After that, there was a break-in at the museum. Something about a dagger. And a few disappearances scattered about town. Every time Dipper asked for more information, the Grunkles just avoided his questions and changed the subject. He knew they were investigating, but he still kept his dreams quiet, only telling his sister. He didn’t want to worry them and he knew they would put him on lock down if they knew he was in danger.  
  
Which is what brought him here, up at three in the morning vigorously reading one of Grunkle Ford’s older journals with a flashlight. He had stumbled upon it while organizing one day but when he had gone to file it away with the others, the book had mysteriously opened to a page that scarily resembled his dreams. Well, nightmares. Terrifying and intense nightmares.  
  
Dipper’s fingers traced the bumps and ridges of the drawing, from the inky black hoods of the cult members to the fire-and-brimstone type demon rising out of their pentagram. Somewhere in the back of his mind he found himself wishing a certain all-knowing someone was available to him, to decipher the strange runic markings that described the scene in the picture; the same scene he had witnessed over and over again in his dreams.  
  
He quickly tried to push the thought out of his mind but it intensified, remaining on the tip of his tongue until something possessed him to whisper a name. "Bill Cipher."  
  
His hand flew to his mouth, shocked at the two simple words he had just uttered. It was as if he wasn’t in control. At first, nothing answered him but silence and the sound of Mabel rustling around in her sleep. But then a nagging voice started as a whisper, a familiar voice, and his heart nearly stopped in his chest.  
  
_PINE. TREE. You rang?_  
  
Suddenly, the voice filled the room, causing the book to fly out of Dipper’s hand as he wildly looked to see where it came from.  
  
_HA! Dumb little SAPLING! You’re still the same old DUMB MEATBAG!_  
  
Dipper cautiously reached for the book, placing it back in his lap, trying to ignore the tight, worried feeling his chest. “Bill?” he whispered, not sure where to look or why Mabel hadn’t been awakened by the booming voice.  
  
_AHAHAHA, BINGO. I’m sorry I called you dumb, PINE TREE. Look out the window!_  
  
The young boy’s neck nearly snapped with how fast his head spun around, glaring out at the pitch black night and seeing nothing but his own reflection. Bill’s laughter echoed again, louder this time, first in one ear and then the other as though he were a fly buzzing around Dipper’s head.  
  
“Where are you?” Dipper hissed, squinting harder as though he might make out the familiar triangular shape of their vanquished enemy.  
  
_I’M INSIDE YOU! YOUR WILDEST DREAM COME TRUE! Of course, my wildest dream involves me STEALING THE EYEBALLS OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS AND ALLIES!_  
  
He gulped. It was the same perverted, eternally yelling demon that had possessed him two years ago. He looked down at his own hands as though they would sprout tentacles at any moment. “How is this happening? We erased you! Get out…” Dipper glanced down in horror as Mabel stirred at his rising voice, but she simply rolled over and mumbled something about an evil spatula. “Get out of my head.” he finished with a deadly hiss as he cautiously stood and tiptoed out of the room, book in hand.  
  
He had hardly made it halfway down the stairs when suddenly his one free hand flew up and smacked himself in the face.  
  
_Oops, SORRY! It’s a little CRAMPED IN HERE. This MEATBAG is EVEN SMALLER THAN IT LOOKS. Can you please offer yourself to me so I can take complete control of your body? I PINKY promise I won’t FLING YOU down the stairs again. I might not be able to resist the temptation of CAUSING YOU UNRELATED BODILY HARM, THOUGH._  
  
Bill’s voice echoed around in his brain and Dipper shook his head as though it might shake the demon out of him. The fact that Bill Cipher was speaking to him in his own head and had even a little bit of control over his autonomy was incredibly worrisome. The fact that he had literally just been thinking about the irritating demon, and had somehow been possessed to say his name out loud, was even more worrisome. How long had he been in there?  
  
_WOW! ALREADY WITH THE INSULTS! I haven’t even STARTED my job as the THORN IN YOUR PUNY SIDE. And I JUST got here, kid. Like RIGHT WHEN I STARTED COMMUNICATING with you. I have not been SILENTLY LURKING in your subconscious for two years, WAITING for you to SUMMON ME._  
  
“Wow that was…oddly specific. So can you tell me how this happened? Last I checked you were gone. Like, forever. Gone! How are you…how are you in my head? Am I going insane? You…you were gone!!” Dipper’s voice cracked as the initial shock of the encounter wore off and his usual panicked tone took over. He didn’t realize it but his hands had tangled themselves up in his thick chestnut locks. He wasn’t sure if he was doing it or if it was the literal demon inside of him. Again. Inside of him again.  
  
_PINE TREE. Calm down. This is a HIGHLY INCONVENIENT time for you to be elevating your own pulse and blood pressure. If you lapse into a panic attack, we will BOTH SUFFER. Well, just you. But it will be REALLY EMBARRASSING for me TOO._  
  
Dipper took a deep breath, but it wasn’t really himself doing it. He couldn’t quite explain it, it wasn’t exactly like he didn’t have any control, rather he was being influenced to do these things by the presence in his subconscious. Mind. Whatever.  
  
_SUBCONSCOUS. YOU HAD IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME._  
  
Dipper rolled his eyes.  
  
_ANYWAY, what basically happened was that you ERASED ME from SIXER’S mind. WHICH PRETTY MUCH RUINED MY FUCKIN’ DAY. But since you and I share a similar…CONNECTION…I wasn’t completely erased for all time. I still existed within a part of YOU. HOORAY FOR SMALL SILVER LININGS! WHY ARE YOUR CHEEKS BURNING, PINE TREE._  
  
The boy had his back to the wall and was slowly sinking down until his knees were curled up against his chest, his cheeks indeed flame red as he thought of Bill existing in a small part of his mind over the last two years or so. How much had he seen? How much could he use against him?  
  
“Why now?” Why is it always me?  
  
_MY PINE TREE NEEDED ME._  
  
Another eye roll.  
  
“I know that’s not the real reason.”  
  
_FINE. SO perceptive. NOT! It just has to do with LITERALLY being trapped in a human’s BRAIN PRISON. You had locked me away when you and Shooting Star first banished me. I could only come out when you WISHED for me. OR SOME OTHER FANTASTICAL NONSENSE._  
  
That was when Dipper’s heart officially sank. He had done this. How was it always him? As if he were some kind of magnet for supernatural and demonic entities. Dipper scrubbed at his permanent dark circles, suddenly remembering what had started this whole mess.  
  
“Before I tell you any more, can you tell me what the extent of your powers is in there? Like…what kind of Bill are we talking here? God of Chaos Bill, low power mode Bill?”  
  
_I wish I could say I am THE BILL OF YOUR NIGHTMARES. But in this meatbag I only have a limited amount of my powers. In ancient times cultists used to try harnessing the power of gods and demons, infusing them into their own essence so they could use it without it CONSUMING THEM. THEY ALL FAILED. UNTIL RIGHT NOW. Accomplished by an awkward, gawky TEEN. LIFE is a BITCH, ISN’T IT._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So, insane triangle demon is trying to gain full autonomy of poor pine tree. But will they learn to work together?! Find out next time on...this fanfic...  
> I'm so tired.

A few sleepless hours later and Dipper found himself on the roof watching the sun rise, the various tomes he had been studying sprawled around him as he tried explaining the original reason why he had even thought of needing Bill at all. He had formed a tentative alliance with the demon, cautiously telling him what he knew about the rituals being performed somewhere in Gravity Falls. Sure, Bill babbled a lot about eventually exacting revenge on his family, but with their newfound connection Dipper started feeling things that he had never before experienced. He knew what Bill was thinking and feeling, and the other way around. Somehow, he knew the demon genuinely wanted to help him uproot this evil. And something else was there, an almost affectionate warmth.  
  
He realized that the shock must not have completely worn off. He was torn between running and telling his Grunkles, or keeping this new development a secret. After the devastation of Weirdmageddon, he was pretty terrified of how they might react to Bill resurfacing anywhere, let alone fused with the subconscious of their teenage great nephew. He highly doubted they would accept it just because he “thought the demon was nice now.” He wasn’t even sure if he was convinced himself. He…  
  
_PINE TREE._  
  
_STOP BROODING._  
  
_PINE TREE._  
  
“God, WHAT?!” Dipper shouted, probably looking insane. “I’m sorry, I’m trying my hardest not to freak out right now. I mean, what happens if I fall asleep? Will I be vulnerable, will you take me into your Mindscape and trap me there so you can take over my shell of a body? Will you…”  
  
Dipper trailed off, breathing more and more rapidly with each word. Bill’s voice suddenly softened in his mind. _I will not do that to you, PINE TREE. YOU CAN READ ME. You KNOW that._ “How do I know you’re not just saying that? You’ve never once told the truth, you’ve used generations of my family for evil. I’m…” Dipper trailed off, knowing he didn’t have to say the word on his tongue. Scared.  
  
_From what you’ve shown me in that book of yours, ALL of the Family of Pine SHOULD BE SCARED. EVEN IN THE DEEPEST CORNER OF YOUR BRAIN PRISON I FELT IT. WAY SCARIER than my nightmare world. Something evil is in Gravity Falls._  
  
Those last words gave Dipper the chills. They were much more serious than Bill’s usually comical style of speech.  
  
~~~  
  
_Something evil is in Gravity Falls._  
  
He didn’t have much time to think about those words, as he heard his Grunkles calling for breakfast inside and Mabel shouting something about spatulas abducting Dipper in the middle of the night. Inside his mind, he felt Bill rouse a little at the sound of his twin’s voice. _SHOOTING STAR. IT’S BEEN AEONS SINCE I SAW THE ENERGETIC LONG-HAIRED VERSION OF PINE TREE. I can’t wait to hear her nonsense words._  
  
Running on absolutely no sleep, Dipper grimaced at the demon’s pitchy voice as he climbed back in through his window. “Do you have to be so loud all the time?” he groaned, putting on his hat and heading downstairs. He was immediately hit in the head with a grappling hook at point blank range, sending him flying.  
  
“DIPPER! Oh my gosh DIPPER! I was just about to go save you from the spatulas! They were mad that you messed up the pancake batter, too much salt, and – hey, something’s different about you, bro-bro. What’s with your eyes?! They’re kinda yellow. Like a cat!” Mabel peered at him over the table, grappling hook held innocently in her hand as though she hadn’t just sniped him with it.  
  
Dipper rubbed his head and stood up, readjusting his hat and trying to pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about. Curse Mabel and her ridiculously keen senses when it came to her twin. Ever since his first possession she could practically sniff out when something was even the slightest bit not right with him. Grunkle Stan and Ford poked their heads over their respective newspaper and tattered journal, peering at Dipper to see what she was talking about.  
  
“Wh-what are you…maybe because you just grappled me in the head, Mabel. I mean, how am I supposed to make a normal entrance after that, ya know?” he said quickly, waving all of them off and sitting down in front of a steaming mug of coffee and a plate of sprinkle-covered pancakes.  
  
“I don’t know, Dipper, your sister has a point. You are looking extra eyeball-y today. Are you not sleeping again?” Grunkle Ford said, slight concern lacing his voice.  
  
_OH MAN. Leave it to good ole FORDSIE to sniff me out when I don’t even have a corporeal form. Man, he’s GOOD. Probably don’t wanna tell him about our situation. I have a feeling he wouldn’t mind chopping down a PINE TREE to kill me, if you catch my DRIFT. HAH. PUNS ARE DELIGHTFUL!_ Bill cackled in his head, the piercing echo making Dipper frown.  
  
_Grunkle Ford would never hurt me. And can you cool it with the puns and inner monologues, at least until I’ve had my coffee?_  
  
“Just having the usual dreams, Grunkle Ford. Nothing weird going on here, haha, just being a teen, eatin’ breakfast with my Grunkl– mmph” Dipper was interrupted by his own arm awkwardly swinging up and scooping a mouthful of pancakes into his general face area with a fork. The sweet sticky mess went directly into his cheek. _YOU’RE GONNA GIVE US AWAY, KID. You’re SWEATING PROFUSELY and you reek of FEAR._ Dipper laughed nervously, redirecting the fork into his mouth and trying his best to look like the most normal Dipper he possibly could.  
  
“Uh, Mabel, could I talk to you in the other room? About…cross-stitching sock puppets?” Dipper said, flashing her a cheeky grin when he realized his voice had been a little too loud (a side effect of trying to talk over the actual demon screeching in his mind). He suddenly felt as though he was unraveling, losing control, the pitches of his voice ranging from high to low as though Bill’s voice was suddenly seeping through.  
  
Mabel nodded, hopping off her seat and setting her grappling hook down on the table. “Dipper asking me for help to cross stitch his sock puppets?! Seems totally normal and not suspicious at all! Don’t worry Dippin' Dots, I won’t let you down!”  
  
She grabbed his hand and ran up to their bedroom, leaving two confused Grunkles who both looked at each other, shrugged, and continued their morning routine.  
  
Unfortunately, Stan didn’t notice the uncharacteristic gleam in Ford’s eyes as they lingered on the doorway for a split second.  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't think I need a summary for every chapter but I guess I'm going to be that girl. Also doing my best to keep everyone in character but it's just. really. DIFFICULT!

“So what kind of puppet are we talking here?! Are you looking for a simple DIY or do you want the supreme sock puppet making lesson? What kind of eyes are we talking, buttons?! I’ve got some rhinestones if you wanna be a little wild!”  
  
Dipper slammed their door shut, holding his head in his hands. “Oh my god, Mabel, I don’t actually want to…okay, nevermind. J-just sit down for what I’m about to tell you, okay? And don’t scream or anything.”  
  
Mabel immediately dropped her twin sock puppet opera daydream and looked concerned, perching herself on the edge of the bed and waiting to hear what Dipper had to say.  
  
_Hey, hey, Pine Tree. Are you absolutely SURE this is a good idea? I mean, Shooting Star is great, but when someone tells you they’re semi-possessed by a—_  
  
“Mabel’s my _mystery twin_ , okay?!” Dipper snapped, feeling a flare of anger that he wasn’t entirely sure belonged to him. Mabel’s eyes widened and she glanced around the room to see who he was talking to. Obviously finding nobody but herself and her extremely stressed out twin.  
  
“You’re scaring me, bro-bro. Your dark circles are a lot darker and circle-ier than usual. What’s going on?”  
  
He sighed heavily and tried to calm his voice down to tell her. Of course Mabel didn’t need sugarcoating; he was trying to make it seem like less of a big deal for his own sake. “Okay. Okay. So you remember Bill, right? Triangular, tried to make the entire town into his own nightmare land? Well, last night I was doing some research on those dreams I was telling you about and I think…I summoned him.”  
  
Mabel immediately shot up and grabbed Dipper’s hands, her eyes filled with worry. She knew what Bill’s last encounter did to her brother. “Bipper’s back?! So, he’s…in you now? Is that why your eyes keep…changing like that? How did this happen?! And how are you still you?”  
  
_‘In you,’_ Bill snickered. Dipper ignored him.  
  
“I don’t know. He tried explaining it but I don’t really understand how it happened. But for some reason this feels different from Weirdmaggedon Bill. He keeps saying we can trust him to help with the cultists, that it would be in his best interest to get rid of them also…” Dipper trailed off, suddenly losing confidence as he heard himself say it.  
  
Suddenly Mabel grabbed Dipper by the shirt, violently shaking him.  
  
“Bipper! Bill Dipper! What are you doing in my bro’s body?!”  
  
Dipper opened his mouth to speak but suddenly no words would come out. As she shook him he felt as though his brain was banging around inside his skull. _Wh…what’s happening?_ he thought, feeling inexplicably woozy. Before he knew it his eyes were rolling back in his head, Mabel’s usual lilt distorting into a screech as he descended into blackness.  
  
~  
  
As Dipper’s warm brown eyes rolled back into his head, bright yellow ones followed like some kind of twisted slots machine. He felt Dipper slip away to the very back.  
  
Bill clumsily raised the hands of his meatbag, grasping Mabel’s wrists with his own to stop her shaking. “SHOOTING STAR!” he exclaimed, Dipper’s voice completely gone and replaced with Bill’s. Mabel immediately stopped, eyes as wide as whatever those rounds disks they put food on are called. Bill didn’t have time to remember the human name.  
  
Faintly, in the background, he heard Dipper struggle to push his thoughts forth in his own mind. _What happened?_ he asked faintly, the sound of it barely a whisper.  
  
_I’m running the show now, Pine Tree! But honestly I have NO IDEA and I don’t know how to FIX IT!_  
  
“So this is Bill now?! I liked calling you Bipper better…but give my brother back his body! I know it’s a tired, noodle legged one, but he needs it more than you do, triangle head!”  
  
Bill grinned, but it looked off and scary on Dipper’s youthful face. “I missed you too, Shooting Star! But I’m trying to contact your brother now to make sure he hasn’t been severed from this dimension and sent to the Mindscape for good, so please pipe down!” Bill’s cheerful tone did not convey the seriousness of the situation at all, and when Mabel heard him she immediately went silent.  
  
_PINE TREE. What happened, you just gave up like that?! Where’s your fighting SPIRIT! Or whatever bullshit you humans say to motivate each other. C’mon, don’t worry Shooting Star like this, it looks wrong to see her upset!_  
  
Something stirred and Dipper’s presence became a little stronger. _I don’t know what happened, man. I feel it getting better…_  
  
A few of the boy’s fingers and toes started wiggling and as he slowly regained control over his body. He shook his head and his eyes spun back to their usual _human_ color. “Whoa...”  
  
He was interrupted as Mabel enveloped him in a big sweater hug. “Bro-bro, never do that again! I was seriously scared! You were all Bipper with no -ipper!” Dipper’s eyes softened and he relaxed into the hug, rustling a hand through her hair affectionately.  
  
_So, uh, Pine Tree?_  
  
_Yes, Bill._  
  
_I don’t wanna burst your bubble, and we all know I love being in control more than ANYTHING, but we should probably keep the role reversal to a MINIMUM._  
  
Dipper paused, separating from Mabel. “Huh? Why?” he asked out loud, ignoring his twin’s curious glances.  
  
_Well, let’s just say I may kind of POSSIBLY be eroding your essence with my vast omnipotent presence. Hey, did that just rhyme?! AHAHAH!_  
  
“What do you mean by eroding?! Can you please focus?”  
  
_I just mean if we are gonna take on this HUGELY MASSIVE THREAT of DEATH AND DESTRUCTION we are gonna have to locate a host for me to inhabit. THAT ISN’T A SCRAWNY, ADORABLE PINE TREE!_  
  
The adolescent found himself blushing despite the absolutely terrible news that was being delivered to him. He hated his body’s embarrassing reactions to even the smallest hint of affection from the parasitic demon.  
  
“So that means you’ll help us, just like that? Without any deals or anything?” Dipper narrowed his eyes, while at the same time Mabel’s brightened. She was so much quicker to trust than her twin. “Why are you doing this, and being so nice? I thought you wanted to steal our eyeballs.”  
  
Dipper felt his mouth start to move, even though he was not the one speaking. His eyes made direct contact with Mabel’s. “Because you’re growing on me, sapling! Stealing eyeballs doesn’t mean I don’t like you guys! They’re just so SPARKLY and BROWN! And I would be really ANGRY to see some other demon come and MESS UP the good things I’ve got goin’ here.” Bill was speaking both to Dipper and Mabel, but using the young boy as his messenger. Dipper guessed it was because the demon knew he would need both twins' approval in order to formulate a plan. _Righto, kid!_  
  
Mabel beamed, practically bouncing to the bedroom door. “Okay, let’s go tell the Grunkles!”  
  
Dipper nodded a little, but when her words registered he AND Bill used his mouth to shout, “what!” as she rocketed down the stairs, a blur of pink and brown. “Shooting Star—Mabel—no!” he bounded after her, legs moving awkwardly as Bill also tried running. _Can just one of us steer this ship, please?_ Dipper grumbled as they gracelessly fell down the last half of the staircase.  
  
_WHY DON’T YOUR LEGS MOVE FASTER. HAHA, YOU’RE SO WEAK. IT IS FRUSTRATING._  
  
Dipper ignored him, skidding to a stop in front of the kitchen door in time to hear Mabel. “—and Bill is like, _so down_ to help us defeat these weird cultist guys trying to summon this all powerful demon thingy, we just have to find him a host!” The young boy froze in the doorway just as Stan’s and Ford’s eyes locked onto him.  
  
“Dipper…is this true?” Ford asked, voice strangely calm despite the fact that his nephew was being inhabited by his arch nemesis. Dipper considered denying it, but he didn’t want to make Mabel out to be a liar, and he knew how much she disapproved of him lying. Besides, they needed every resource they could get to try to stop the ceremony. In the end, despite Bill initially shaking his head back and forth way too fast to look normal, Dipper slowly nodded, sheepishly looking down at his feet.  
  
_SHIT._  
  
“I didn’t do anything…I mean, I think he’s been in there a long time. I just...might have wished for him. Really quickly. For _one second._ But he said he can help us and—”  
  
Ford stood up from the table. “Dipper, come with me, please.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things start moving a little faster. I told you chapter 5 is when it goes down. Also *gasp* at Grunkle Ford rn.

They were in Ford’s lab. He was fixing some more coffee, Dipper sitting on the bench with his legs dangling above the ground. So far neither of them had said a word.  
  
_This isn’t good, Pine Tree. I’ve got a bad feeling._  
  
_He would never hurt me. He’s just processing the information._  
  
Ford walked over and sat on the adjacent chair, handing Dipper a cup of steaming coffee. The boy took a long, grateful sip of his favorite beverage.  
  
“So…are you mad?” Dipper asked cautiously, trying his best to maintain eye contact with his silent great uncle.  
  
Ford shook his head. “Not at all, Dipper. I had a feeling something was up. With your strange dreams, the disappearances, the recent museum break in…” the man sighed, running a hand through salt and pepper hair. Dipper nodded, looking into his mug and taking another nervous sip.  
  
_This tastes bad. Stop drinking it._  
  
“I guess I’m just trying to figure out what to do. We can’t just go putting trust in a being who is inherently evil.”  
  
_Pine Tree, this stuff doesn’t taste right._  
  
_Stop being dramatic. You’ve just never had black coffee before._  
  
“It’s different when he’s in my body. It’s like I can read him, his intentions…it doesn’t feel evil this time. I think he changed when we erased him the first time. We just need to…find him a host and…” Dipper trailed off, realizing his words weren’t coming out as fast as they normally did. His tongue felt like lead in his mouth, making him slur a little. “Wait…I didn’t tell you…about my dreams…” _SPIT THE LIQUID OUT._  
  
He went to stand up and the world tilted dangerously. The mug in his hand fell and shattered but the sounds were distorted and far away. He saw Ford walking towards him in slow motion, mouthing words he couldn’t quite make out.  
  
_PINE TREE. RUN._  
  
He tried moving but his legs fumbled and collapsed under him, as weak as a baby deer. Dipper barely felt his body collide with the cold floor. Then everything began to fade, starting at the edge of his vision until it all went black.  
  
~  
  
Stretching, yawning. He didn’t want to leave bed. Eyes opening slowly, he nearly had a heart attack when he found himself face to face with one big, yellow, glowing eye. It was attached to a body that was surprisingly…human?  
  
“Bill?!” he exclaimed, suddenly remembering what had happened. He sat up as Bill floated gracefully back to the foot of his bed, long, thin legs crossed elegantly. It was weird to see him like this. Big toothy grin, golden bangs and black eyepatch covering one eye. Golden suit top. Black bow tie. Not to mention the small black top hat floating above his head. Yep, definitely weird.  
  
“Pine Tree.”  
  
He blinked in confusion, feeling his arms and legs and looking around at his peaceful, perfectly normal room, with early morning golden light filtering in through the window. “What happened? Grunkle Ford...and the coffee…was that real? Am I dreaming?”  
  
“You WISH it was a dream. We’re in the mindscape, kid. Who knows what Fordsie is doing to us out there. Probably lasering the shit out of your brain, or something.”  
  
Dipper felt panic rising in his chest. “Oh no, oh no no no. This can’t be happening. Why, why is this happening? Why do you look like that?!”  
  
The demon shrugged, his long, thin fingers running down the length of his chest as if noticing it for the first time. “I thought you might be a less panicky Pine Tree if I looked more human when you woke up. I guess I was WRONG, eh, panicky?” Bill grinned, nudging Dipper’s leg with a bony elbow.  
  
Dipper could barely hear him over the rushing in his ears. He ran to the door of his room, flinging it open and finding a vast expanse of nothingness. A voice at his ear made him jump. “SORRY, Pine Tree. Really didn’t think you’d leave the threshold of your room. You are FULL of surprises.”  
  
He whirled around, coming face to face with that eye again. “Can you wake me up? Send me back?” Bill whistled.  
  
“Tried that. You’re out like a light. Tried peeking through your wonderful eyeballs, too. Didn’t work. Something is hurting your arms though. Man, it SUCKS being confined to a meatbag. Even a cute one.” Dipper shivered at that, a little creeped out at how Bill could feel things his own body was experiencing, even while he was unconscious.  
  
“I just don’t understand how Grunkle Ford could do that…he would never hurt us. And how did he know about my dreams?! I’m…I don’t think I can…” Dipper’s breathing became more and more erratic, worse than when he had lost control of his body. He felt himself losing control, the way he often did when things overwhelmed him.  
  
What happened next was one swift blur. One moment he was panicking, on his way to full on hyperventilating, when something warm covered his lips. His eyes flew open and he realized it was Bill, kissing him, his one eye also wide open and staring intently at Dipper. For a moment the boy relaxed into the demon’s lips, the tight feeling in his chest loosening and being replaced with something warm and nice.  
  
Until, of course, he came back to earth and realized what was happening. Bill, he was kissing Bill. Bill was kissing him.  
  
Dipper grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him back, coughing and scrubbing his lips with the back of his sleeve, cheeks burning red. “Wh-what’s the big idea!”  
  
Bill blinked at him, eye looking innocent despite the shit-eating grin plastered on his face. “I thought that made humans more complacent. You were going to send us into shock with your, you know,” Bill imitated Dipper’s frantic gasping.  
  
“Well…I didn’t think of that. But where did you learn to kiss? Aren’t you supposed to close your eyes…eye? Oh, god. My first kiss would be with a demon in the middle of the mindscape. Lucky me.” Dipper sunk to the ground, head in his hands. Of course it had worked, _and_ calmed him down, but that wasn’t the point.  
  
Before Bill could respond, there was a sudden rushing noise around them, like they were driving through a tunnel. Dipper peeked between his fingers, still mortified. “What now?” he groaned.  
  
“Looks like you’re waking up, sleeping beauty! See you in the REAL WORLD, Pine Tree!”  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is crazy. And kinda long. Surprisingly it's the very beginning of their journey so...comments, criticisms, advice...all welcome here!

Dipper’s eyes snapped open. The scene before him was much less pleasant than the mindscape, he quickly realized.  
  
_Well, THIS is a situation._ Bill whistled.  
  
They were in a huge cavern, lit up by medieval looking torches that illuminated extremely primitive, spooky drawings on the walls. Dipper was bound to a stalactite in the middle of the cavern, his wrists tied painfully behind him with another rope around his chest to keep him upright. It wasn’t so much the location that alarmed him; it was the strong smell of sulphur, and the bloodstains on the ground and walls.  
  
And, most importantly, the limp body strewn across a splintered wooden table at the other end. It looked to be the body of a boy, not much older than Dipper, with blonde hair and tan skin. Dried up knife wound right where his heart would be. Completely naked.  
  
Dipper looked down to realize he was also completely naked, his clothes neatly folded in a pile that was just unreachable. Yep, definitely not good. It was starting to look like some kind of twisted sex dungeon scenario. Which, to reiterate, _definitely_ not good.  
  
_Hey, there’s LITTLE DIPPER!_ Bill cackled, and Dipper mentally kicked him. _Sorry, kid. Couldn’t resist_.  
  
_Oh, my god. Grunkle Ford is_ definitely _not behind this. This is beyond creepy._  
  
His head shot up when he heard footsteps, and a cloaked figure approached them, wearing a deep purple robe that was different from the blood red ones Dipper had seen in his dreams. As it got closer, two wrinkled hands came up and lifted the hood.  
  
_HAHAHA! Guess again, PINE TREE!!! Don’t ask why I’m laughing, I’m actually REALLY worried._  
  
“Great Uncle Ford?! What is this?”  
  
Ford chuckled, shaking his head. One hand raised and put the hood back on. When it was lifted off again, the face revealed an old man, of similar stature to Dipper’s grunkle, but with a sterner face of smaller, more angular features. His pursed lips were fixed into a sick smirk. Pretty much your typical evil sorcerer, but way creepier when you incorporate the whole naked-in-a-cave thing.  
  
“No, I’m not your ‘grunkle.’ He’s tied up in the basement of your tourist trap. Been there for days, actually. You guys really need to get on top of your spring cleaning.”  
  
Dipper struggled against the bonds, feeling the uncomfortable burn of the rope on his skin. “Let go of me! I don’t want anything to do with your weird kinks!” he yelled, inwardly grimacing at the way his voice cracked and made him sound way less intimidating.  
  
_Listen to me Pine Tree. This doesn’t look good. I smell a significant amount of evil here, and there are WAY too many pentagrams on the walls. Like, an overwhelming amount of pentagrams._  
  
The boy looked wildly around the room, realizing that Bill was right. Scary amount of pentagrams, coupled with a dead body and a cult presence…yikes.  
  
_But this is important. Whatever you do, you CAN’T reveal anything about our connection._  
  
“I know,” Dipper murmured, but immediately froze when he spoke out loud. There went that plan.  
  
_DAMNIT, PINE!_  
  
The cult leader looked surprised, then let out a booming laugh.  
  
“Bill Cipher, is that you in there? We need to have a little chat.” He walked closer, and from the sleeve of his robe pulled out an ornate dagger with ancient carvings all along the hilt and forged into the blade. Dipper recognized one of them as the triangle often used to depict Bill in many of Ford’s older books. Also as the artifact stolen from the museum. Gulp.  
  
“Th-there’s no Bill, I don’t know what you’re talking about. My grunkles erased him over two years ago.” Dipper stammered. The man shrugged, coming closer, knife pointing towards Dipper’s belly button.  
  
“I guess I’ll just have to carve it out of you. See how long it takes that spineless demon to show himself. It’s pretty embarrassing for such a powerful, ancient being. Just hiding behind the subconscious of a 17 year old weakling.”  
  
The man’s voice was painfully condescending, accentuating every syllable as he traced a line along Dipper’s stomach with the tip of the blade.  
  
_Bill…_  
  
No answer.  
  
The man grinned, maniacal, and in a blur of motion swiped the blade along Dipper’s left thigh. Blood spurted before the boy could even register what happened, and he saw the red before he felt the pain. Crying out, his legs collapsed under him, although the rope continued to hold him up.  
  
_Bill. Bill. Billbillbill._  
  
Another slash on Dipper’s side. The cuts weren’t that deep, but they hurt like hell. Involuntary tears sprang at the corners of Dipper’s eyes.  
  
“So you don’t care what happens to your boy toy, hmm? I thought it was in your best interest to keep him alive. Ah, well. Maybe I was wrong. Can’t have the boy escaping and ruining our plans, though.”  
  
He reared back, knife aiming at Dipper’s abdomen, ready to deliver a killing blow. Suddenly Dipper felt himself flung to the back of his mind, something shielding him from the pain, as his own voice barked with a ferocity that he’d never heard before. “ENOUGH!”  
  
The blade stopped seconds away from Dipper’s trembling stomach, and the man grinned once again. “There you are.”  
  
“You don’t know how close I am to ripping out your small intestine, worm.” Dipper could barely recognize his own voice, mixed with Bill’s rage, and although he couldn’t see it, his eyes had transformed into a glowing, fierce shade of red, like an exit sign in a dark movie theater. Blood leaked from the cuts but he was amazed at how little he felt, the knife wounds reduced to mere papercuts. His entire body was shaking with the sheer force of Bill’s anger.  
  
“I apologize for not shaking in my boots. It’s a little hard to be frightened when your voice keeps cracking like that. How could you even think this vessel was worthy of you? An insomniac midget with a caffeine addiction?” the man eyed Dipper up and down, sneering. “It’s sad to see how far you’ve fallen, Cipher. But no matter. You both won’t be long for this world.”  
  
Bill narrowed his eyes. Dipper’s eyes. Inside Dipper was rolling his eyes. This late in the game, comments about his unhealthy habits meant pretty much nothing to him. Stan’s and Mabel’s mockery had given him a thicker skin over the years. “Pine Tree’s meatbag is better than your wrinkly old one, gross wrinkly old man. What kind of creep strips kids down for their rituals, huh? You could get the same results with their clothes still on. That’s just cultist 101.”  
  
The man ignored him, instead walking over to the center of the cave. From the two entrances, figures in red robes started filing in, as if on cue. They each carried a candle and surrounded the stalactite, placing their candles down.  
  
The man in the purple robe clapped his hands and glowing lines connected each candle, with the stalactite as the centerpiece of a pentagram.  
  
“Not that you asked, but we’re trying to summon a more powerful being. One who’s more focused on world domination than you are. Belial.”  
  
Bill scoffed. “What, THAT guy?! The demon of lies? He’s not so great. Last I heard he was banished to exist between realms. What a _CHUMP_.”  
  
The man’s face went more serious than before, his malicious grin vanishing. “Yes. He was. Which is why we won’t be able to summon him without an…equal sacrifice. One of the most feared dream demons in the business should do the trick. Since you’re basically a parasite, I guess we can’t kill one without the other so…the young virgin would just be the icing on the cake, really.”  
  
_WHAT?! I’m not a….not a….v-v-v…_  
  
_Not worth it, kid. I’m in your brain. There’s not much I don’t know. Pretty funny how this guy just pinned you though. HAH. Wait. Stop blushing. You’re making us look less terrifying._  
  
“BLAH BLAH BLAH, this is so the usual SHTICK of you cultists. Can’t you ever switch it up a little? I didn’t even need the explanation. You’re gonna do some idiotic chanting, exorcise me from the kid’s body, killing both of us, and summon your dumb demon pal into that dead body over there.” Bill leered at the man, looking as menacing as he could with Dipper’s face. “You know how it ends, right? The demon doesn’t wanna deal with your shit. You all die terrible, fiery deaths. Then he unleashes his wrath on the town until his host literally explodes because it can’t handle his raw power. And. You. LOSE! AHAHAHA!” Dipper felt himself laughing with Bill, until he registered what the demon was saying. _Why do I have to be involved? I mean…I’m kinda the middle man here. Can’t they just let me go?_  
  
The cult leader sighed, chuckling softly as he paced back and forth before Dipper’s prone body. “You’re right, demon. That’s where we differ from the usual ‘shtick.’ Each and every one of us will give our lives for this cause. Our united sacrifice will give Belial enough power to use the host as his way to return to Earth, in his true form. As a key, if you will.”  
  
_Well, THIS situation just went from kinda shitty to ABSOLUTE SHITTIEST. I’m gonna get to work on these bindings. STALL HIM AND HIS SUICIDAL CRONIES._  
  
As soon as Dipper resurfaced, the pain hit him like a bus and nausea rolled in the pit of his stomach to the back of his throat. As Bill wriggled his small hands, trying to channel as much strength into them as he could, Dipper found his eyes wandering to the knife wounds. It wasn’t pretty. His blood dripped along his bare leg to the floor, creating dark, wet pools. _Stop looking, kid._ Bill ordered, trying to fog up Dipper’s mind so he forgot.  
  
“It’s just a lot of blood…why is there so much? It didn’t feel like anything and now…” a wave of dizziness slapped him in the face and the man before him grimaced.  
  
“I’m utterly disgusted, Bill. Using your arcane abilities to _baby_ him? Being in a human vessel has made you soft. At first I had my reservations about destroying such an old and powerful demon, but after seeing this display I know it’s for the better.” He clapped his hands, turning to the cultists who were patiently waiting for their orders. “Begin the ritual. The boy will scream, but we cannot show weakness now, or Belial will not accept our sacrifice.”  
  
The wriggling stopped. _I’m sorry, Pine Tree._  
  
_Wh-Why are you apologizing? Don’t you have some master plan to get us out of this?!_  
  
The chanting started. And so did the pain. It was small, at first, like someone was tugging on his limbs. A small fire in his chest, like heartburn. But it intensified with each verse they spoke.  
  
_I’ll shield you from as much of it as I can. I’m sorry, Pine Tree. It’s going to hurt. I need to wait for an opening. I’m sorry._  
  
_Stop apologizing! DO SOMETHING! Ah…_  
  
Dipper bit his lip, holding back a yell. It felt as though his body was being torn in two from the inside. The blood dripped faster from the wounds on his leg and side as an unexplained pressure started to push down on him. Before he knew it he was screaming, but it was lost to the chanting and the sound of blood rushing in his ears.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, through the sweat and tears blurring his vision, Dipper saw the purple-cloaked man approaching him with the dagger drawn. At the other corner of the room, two cultists were carrying the dead boy’s body toward the center of the pentagram. They tied his limp corpse to the opposite side of the stalactite, head lolled to the side at an unnatural angle.  
  
He couldn’t look for long, however. Another bolt of pain ran through him and he turned his head to the side, emptying the contents of his stomach with a wet splattering sound on the cave floor. The chanting had seemed to reach its peak, the wind rushing around them and the air crackling with a fearsome, dark energy.  
  
_Okay, Dipper. You’re going to pass out soon. And I’m going to do something…well, let’s just say it’s our only hope. You can leave it up to me but don’t go into the light. Or any other cliché about death you might encounter._  
  
Dipper’s mind was in pieces, his thoughts scattered, but in the haze, fueled by the endearing way Bill had finally used his name, he managed one thought. _I trust you._  
  
He lost consciousness just as the man stuck the dagger into his chest. He didn’t notice the way his body flinched slightly to the left as he fell into darkness.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once I get to the eighth chapter updates will become a bit more regular. I had this all typed up and ready to go for ages, so from there they will prob be every...week...heh.
> 
> Also I don't know where I got that Belial is like the ""guy"" of lies. This was months ago and that was the old me. But I'm going with it!
> 
> Also also, should I leave disclaimers? Idk I probably won't be mistaken as the creators of the show but just in case...that ain't me. Comment with ur thoughts/concerns.

Everything happened fast after the dagger hit home. Well, a little east of home, thanks to some quick maneuvering. It was risky, what he was about to pull. With Dipper’s weak body further weakened from blood loss, it didn’t make a suitable host for even the tiny fraction of power Bill had left. But with the boy’s last words playing over and over in his mind like a broken record, the demon knew he had to try.  
  
He wiggled his fingers and toes experimentally, then with a malicious grin, ripped his bonds and grabbed the man’s hands, which were still grasping the knife jammed into the Dipper's chest. The old man staggered back, eyes filled with fear for the first time, but Bill overpowered him, ripping the blade out of his own chest with a weak spurt of blood.  
  
_Please don’t die, please don’t die._ Over and over, bouncing around his skull, knowing that although the dagger had hit a dangerous place, the boy’s heart was still beating. Faster, he had to move faster.  
  
“Your first mistake was DOUBTING MY COMMITMENT to world domination.” Bill shoved the man to the floor. “Then, you called my Pine Tree NAMES.” He straddled the man’s chest. “AND THEN YOU SUMMONED BELIAL INSTEAD OF ME! Un...for...GIVABLE!” His eyes were the horrifying red again, a maniacal grin fixed on Dipper’s face. But he was missing something, didn’t notice the way the other cultists’ chanting seemed to change direction, the way the fear was replaced with a malicious glimmer in the old man’s eyes. There was a change in the air.   
  
But he stabbed. And stabbed again. He _did_ expect the old man’s scream of pain and anguish as the demon sacrificed him. He _also_ expected the feeling of his own essence being ripped from Dipper’s, as his guerilla-style ritual was complete and he was thrown out of his poor living host and into the dead one lying spread eagle on the floor. He'd branched off from their ritual, so to speak, by killing their leader and, as the power of a human sacrifice flooded through him and restored most of his omnipotent abilities, created his own.  
  
Of course, nothing ever works out so easily. What he hadn’t expected, as he was spirited out of the battered boy’s body, was the blinding flash of blue light that exploded from the cult leader’s chest after his death. A deep, rich laughter filled the cave and Bill shot up in the naked body of his new host, eyes all vibrant yellow and squinty in an attempt to adjust to the light as he took in the scene around him.  
  
And oh, shit.  
  
The cultists were all dead, with no visible wounds, but he knew it had been the blue light that cut through them. He should have paid more attention to what they were chanting, should have noticed their leader's expression right before his demise. The old man's body was still bathed in that sickeningly blue, LED light, limp legs animating before the rest of the body as though it was being piloted by an amateur who knew absolutely nothing of human anatomy (which, Bill didn't have time to add, was probably due to millennia of bribing and imbibing in his true form while pretty much ignoring the fact that humans were taking over. A cautionary tale of failing to "get with the times.").  
  
And yeah, it was definitely time to run.  
  
He scrambled awkwardly to his feet, his host’s body taller and sturdier than Dipper’s, limbs more awkward especially after the whole rigor mortis deal had already set in. You try walking on stiff dead people legs. Not a joy ride, that’s for sure.  
  
“BILL CIPHER!”  
  
He jumped at the voice, knowing full well they only had less than a minute before Belial shoved his giant self into the cult leader’s body and caused some real damage.  
  
Bill slipped his arms under Dipper’s shoulders and dragged him up against his chest, his newly possessed heart nearly stopping (ironic, because it technically wasn't beating in the first place) at the sight of the boy’s pale coloring, and the way the blood on his chest gleamed wetly in the candelight.  
  
“HE’S NOT HERE RIGHT NOW, TRY AGAIN NEVER!” Bill squeezed his eyes shut and grit his teeth, knowing that using any kind of teleportation was extremely dangerous so early after acquiring a new host but _not really caring at the moment._  
  
_Hang in there, Pine Tree._  
  
With a pop of yellow light they were gone, leaving a literal room full of dead cultists and a fearsome demon in their wake.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Next two chapters go up tomorrow, but like and comment to get ~extra~  
> Just kidding, but feedback is greatly appreciated.

Somehow, they landed in one piece in the woods behind the Mystery Shack. Well, almost one piece. Bill’s host’s neck had snapped but he managed to fix it so that it only _slightly_ hung at an awkward angle. Bill conjured a blanket and bundled Dipper up in it, trying not to notice the way blood immediately soaked through the soft material. There was a funny feeling budding in the pit of his stomach, like someone had a vice grip around his internal organs, squeezing every time he looked down at the boy’s heaving chest.  
  
“B’lial?” the boy murmured absently, his eyes barely cracked open and peering up at the shocked face of the dream demon. Or, the corpse the dream demon was currently possessing. Semantics, really.  
  
Bill hushed him, hustling as fast as he could to get to the sanctuary of the Mystery Shack. Shooting Star and Sixer would be able to help. His powers were already strained from the effort of teleportation, so the healing pulses he sent through the boy in his arms were doing just enough to keep him alive. He also needed to save enough energy to cloak them from Belial’s presence; kind of like slapping a band-aid on a broken dam, but it would buy them enough time.  
  
“Pine Tree, we can worry about that when your meatbag is not grievously wounded and on the brink of death.”  
  
Dipper shivered and curled into Bill’s chest, finding no warmth within the cold body. Bill picked up the pace, knowing each step brought him closer to saving his Pine Tree.  
  
Before he knew it he was standing before Shooting Star on the step, almost enjoying the familiar timbre of her shrill screeches. Ford and Stan were standing behind her, horrified, a bandage wrapped haphazardly around Sixer’s head from where the cultists had bashed him.  
  
“Wait, _Bill_?! Why are you NAKED?! Why is my _brother_ naked?! I totally ship it but…oh my god, is that _blood_?!” she was cut off by Bill gently pushing her aside, the legs of his weakened meatbag giving out under the weight of his charge. He laid the bundle of Dipper down before the Grunkles, ignoring the fact that he was completely naked and covered in the blood of their great nephew. His yellow eyes looked up at them innocently, imploringly, hands up to prove that he wasn’t a threat.  
  
“I KNOW I may have tried killing you all in the past but he’s HURT and needs IMMEDIATE medical attention. There’s a bigger threat. I’ve cloaked us and the shack for now. Not much time.”  
  
Ford grunted and pushed Bill aside, muttering something about dealing with him later. “Stan, get the car going. Mabel, get your brother and this demon some clothes. I’m going to apply pressure, Dipper, and it’s going to hurt. But at this rate you might not make it to the hospital.”  
  
Bill looked down in surprise, wondering when Dipper had fully regained consciousness. “We need to go back, Bill, t-tell them we need to go back and stop him.” Dipper’s deep brown eyeballs were filled with so much fear and anxiety that Bill wanted to reach out and brush the stray pieces of hair out of his face. And, oddly enough, the urge to steal his eyeballs was more of a slight inclination now. I guess that's progress for you.  
  
“We will, Pine Tree.”  
  
Then the screaming started again, Dipper fighting and pawing against Ford as he used the blanket to apply pressure to the chest wound. It was ugly, visceral, human. Bill closed his eyes and walked into the living room, plopping his naked self down on the couch as the chaos erupted around him. He knew they wouldn’t let him near the boy yet, that he would only interfere with their efforts.  
  
“Cipher, you’re going to stay here and not move a muscle. And for god’s sake, cover up.” Ford growled, voice like sandpaper, eyes narrowed to slits as he gathered Dipper in his arms and ran to the car.  
  
Mabel thundered down the stairs, thrusting a pile of Dipper’s clothes into Bill’s hands. “Cute body, Bill. Way to find a hottie. Here are some clothes, no socks though. He never, ever has clean socks. And just…don’t do anything Bill-like until we get back.” Shooting Star’s voice trembled as she spoke, and Bill reached out a cautious hand to swipe away one of her tears.  
  
“It will be okay, Shooting Star. He’s a strong Pine Tree. And I promise not to stand on the roof naked screaming about my plans for world domination during store hours.”  
  
She threw her arms around him, but then pulled back quickly as his words registered. “Wait, that was oddly specific!!”  
  
And then she was gone, Stan driving at full speed to the hospital. Bill slipped into the soft t-shirt and pants with an embarrassing amount of effort. Then he sat on the couch, closed his eyes, and drifted off to the Mindscape.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy times in the Mindscape!!! Love it? Hate it? TELL ME!

Dipper’s eyes opened slowly, lazily. There was something warm at the foot of his bed, like the feeling when a pet falls asleep curled around your legs. He hummed happily and shuffled closer to it.  
  
“PINE TREE! THAT IS MY BUTT!”  
  
The voice was loud and nearly sent Dipper flying off the bed. He groaned when he saw the familiar face of his nemesis turned ally, who was in his peculiar human form again.  
  
“Can’t you ever let me just enjoy the Mindscape? I mean, is it really necessary for you to be here? You’re kind of taking away from my me-time.” Dipper rubbed his eyes and scooted up in the bed, wincing as pain lanced through his skull. “Why do I hurt so much?” he pouted.  
  
Bill crawled up the bed until he was hovering over Dipper, face to face. His position reminded Dipper of a cat. Dipper’s cheeks burned at the proximity.  
  
“WELL, KID, probably because you’ve nearly had your essence torn in two by cultists using your virginal body to summon a demon,” Bill took a deep breath. “Or it could ALSO have something to do with the knife that just barely missed your most important organ.”  
  
Dipper’s eyes widened as he started remembering why exactly he was in the Mindscape, and what had happened before he fell unconscious. “So you’re…you possessed the body of that kid? And Belial…oh, god. Belial. If he possessed that cult leader, wouldn’t that give him access to even more power? All those sacrifices… And…hey, can you back up like, an inch or something?”  
  
Bill nodded, his breath ghosting across Dipper’s cheek, and leaned back a little. Part of Dipper regretted telling him to back off. A very, VERY small part in the waaaay back of his mind, but a part nonetheless.  
  
“Hey, Bill?”  
  
“Yes, Pine Tree.”  
  
“Do you think I’m going to die? I mean, if I’m feeling it all the way in the Mindscape, it must be bad, right?”  
  
Dipper’s big eyes searched Bill’s peculiar yellow ones for an immediate reaction, but the demon’s face was a mask of indifference.  
  
Bill brushed his hand across Dipper’s cheek, finally able to brush back that troublesome strand of hair. “You’re dumb, Pine Tree. Just a stupid tree. Even if you did die I would use whatever means I have to bring you back. Then you’d be Franken-Tree! And forced to blindly do my bidding.” Bill’s eyes narrowed mischievously, flicking down to Dipper’s lips and then back into his eyes. Dipper swallowed hard.  
  
He wanted to ask why. He had so much to tell the demon, but he had spent the last day and a half being thrust into increasingly insane situations that gave them pretty much no down time. He needed to know why Bill was so interested in him. If it was just a ploy to gain his trust or…  
  
Then, out of the blue, Bill’s lips were on his again. He barely had time to react or push the demon off as he felt long spindly fingers twisting the material of his shirt. Before he could stop himself he found that he was pushing further into the kiss, his hands touching Bill’s cold skin and pulling him closer, clumsily, without any finesse.  
  
Bill pressed into him and Dipper couldn’t help the embarrassing yelp that escaped his lips. The demon cackled and used the opportunity to stick his tongue down Dipper’s throat.  
  
Suddenly the whole world tilted and there was a rushing in his ears. Dipper gripped Bill tighter, groaning unhappily as everything around him started to fade into nothingness.  
  
“Bill…I don’t want to go…”  
  
Bill’s hands were fading as they tangled themselves in Dipper’s chestnut locks. “Relax, Pine Tree. Relaaax.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper is FINE!!! Bill is in LOVE! Also pancakes again?! Can you tell I'm a broke & hungry college student?  
> Third wheel Mabel is _so_ me.

It was an entire night and half of the following day before Bill heard a car in the driveway. He had done all of the poking and prodding he could in the Mystery Shack, fiddling with absolutely every device in sight.  
  
He had even checked on the hospital a few times, but seeing Pine Tree so small and vulnerable in his hospital bed didn’t feel right. His dark circles looked even worse under the unforgiving lighting, but the soft rise and fall of his chest was a reassurance that Bill was eternally grateful for. Nevertheless, nothing could have prepared him for the weak creature that walked through the door, arm slung around Mabel’s shoulder (because, as she claimed, it was the alpha twin’s job to support her twin), his other arm wrapped protectively across his chest.  
  
The boy’s eyes immediately locked on Bill and his face went scarlet, more pronounced against the newfound pallor of his skin. “You stayed.” he breathed.  
  
“OF COURSE he stayed, Dipdop! Can’t you see that little sparkle in his dead host’s eyes?! He’s smitten as a kitten!” she exclaimed, situating Dipper on a chair at the dining room table and buzzing around the kitchen to get the pancake mix and griddle out.  
  
“Shooting STAR, where are the grumpy uncles? Where’s Sixer? Why are you back so soon from the healing place?!” Bill asked curiously, the upper half of his body basically hanging off the couch so he could get a better look at Dipper, who was hunched over the table looking absolutely miserable. “You smell like latex-y. Like rubber gloves. I do not like it.”  
  
Dipper rolled his eyes. “Grunkle stands for great uncle, not grumpy uncle. They’re trying to find out more about the cult we encountered and…” Dipper’s eyes shifted to the ground, as if he didn’t want to speak the word. “Belial.”  
  
Mabel bounced up behind him and plopped a hat on his head. “There we go, good as new Dipper! With some pancakes and some painkillers you’ll be on top of the world! Except still reeeeeally injured. Like, you should definitely still be in the hospital injured. _THIS GUY_ checks himself out of the hospital, like, right when the Grunkles leave. Even after taking _TONS_ of my blood and having only _everybody_ tell him to stay another night.”  
  
Bill grinned, hopping off the couch in one swift, slightly awkward movement, and clapped Dipper on the back, either ignoring or not noticing the grimace the boy made. “That’s my Pine Tree! Making bad choices just like ole Bill! I taught you well.” He winked at the boy then, enjoying the furious blush that intensified on Dipper’s cheeks. It was a sign of life, of blood pumping through his veins. He fought the urge to grab the boy and plant a really sloppy kiss on his (actually pretty chapped) lips.  
  
“The longer we wait the more damage Belial could do. We need to stop him before he hatches a plan, and we need to keep the Grunkles out of it. They’ll never let us help after what happened to me…but I need to finish it with you, Bill.”  
  
Bill was surprised at Dipper’s tone. There was something different about him, more confident than the stammering ball of anxiety he had been a couple days ago. There was something steely in his eyes that made the demon swoon a little. Hello, reckless dreamy Dipper.  
  
Mabel shoved a plate of pancakes in her twin’s face, and then pushed Bill into a chair and offered him a plate of his own. The fluffy stack was dripping with syrup and a healthy dose of glittery sprinkles. “Nice touch, Shooting Star. I look forward to putting this in my face hole.”  
  
~  
  
After their late afternoon breakfast, which was mostly just the twins watching in awe as Bill managed to stab his own face and hands with the fork not once, but five times, Dipper suddenly felt incredibly tired. The painkillers they gave him at the hospital hadn’t fully worn off, and his mind was racing with thoughts of death and destruction at the hands of Belial.  
  
Not to mention the fact that since regaining consciousness, he could not stop thinking about what had happened in the mindscape. It was stupid, there were so many pressing matters he could be focusing on. Did first and second kisses even count in the Mindscape?  
  
_Go to bed, Pine Tree. WITH ME! Hah._  
  
Dipper’s head shot up at the familiar voice. That definitely should not be.  
  
_Wh-how are you in my head still?! Get out, man!_  
  
_We’ve got that bond for life, Pine Tree! Well, your measly lifetime. Hey, speaking of, would you be opposed to me granting you immortality at some point? No, I know, it’s too soon in the relationship for that. Dinner first, RIGHT?_  
  
“Hey, what’s going on here! You’re looking at each other all romantically…I wanna be included!”  
  
Dipper shot Mabel a withering look, but as usual, she ignored it. “Mabel, can you help me upstairs? I think I need to close my eyes for a sec.”  
  
Mabel got up to help him when in a flash of movement (and the clatter of dishes, because Bill hadn’t grasped the concept of human autonomy and allowed his arms to dangle limply at his sides as he moved, not caring how many plates he knocked over), Bill was up on his feet and sweeping Dipper into his arms bridal style.  
  
“NO NEED TO GET OFF YOUR FEET, Shooting STAR! Your brother is in good arms! At least, I think they are! This guy could’ve been a serial killer before he died. The world is FULL of FUN SURPRISES!”  
  
Dipper had to bury his face in Bill’s chest as he was rocketed haphazardly up the stairs, fighting waves of nausea.  
  
Before he knew it he was curled up in bed, with Bill perched at the edge and watching him curiously. Dipper sighed miserably, and with a blush, reached out and took the demon’s slender fingers into his own. Bill looked down and Dipper could have sworn his face softened.  
  
“Go to sleep, Pine Tree. If there are any horrifying cultist-demon entities, I’ll wake you up.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay there is NO EXCUSE for me not updating except for the fact that I'm super lazy, obsessed with monster hunter, and Eternally Sorry. I have a few chapters written out that I'll be posting tonight so thank you for bearing with ME  
> I don't really have a """plan""" for how I'm going to end this so I'm open to suggestions! Or feedback! I'M REALLY OPEN TO THOSE! What may seem like clever twists and turns are actually just me making it up as I go and blissfully ignoring all plot holes

No Mindscape this time. Just death and destruction, the town a heap of ashes, ending with Belial’s face morphing the cult leader’s into a twisted, maniacal grin, eyes grazing Dipper’s vulnerable body before grabbing him with a mottled, purple-red claw.  
  
Dipper started awake, panting and covered in a sheen of cold sweat. He looked around the room. It took him a moment to recognize Bill’s host, although the eyes were unmistakable. It was both comforting and disconcerting that they were the one constant in Bill’s many different forms. Mabel was perched on the edge of her bed, watching him intently and vibrating slightly in a way that told Dipper she had broken into their emergency supply of raw sugar packets in an effort to stay awake.  
  
Oh yeah, it was dark out.  
  
“Uh, hi guys.” Dipper managed, sitting up a little and noticing the way his body moved with much more ease than it had when he had gotten back from the hospital. “No mindscape, huh?” His tone conveyed exhaustion, but was laced with an accusatory venom as he squinted up at Bill.  
  
“Sorry, kid. Had to focus some of this raw power into healing your meatbag.”  
  
Dipper’s eyes widened and he started flexing his arms and wiggling his toes, enjoying the way his body didn’t ache. “Don’t get excited, Pine Tree. You’re running at about fifty percent right now. And that’s BEST CASE scenario. You have extra strength demon-grade painkillers to thank for your sudden mobility.”  
  
The seriousness in Bill’s face was unusual, and only slightly more concerning was the slightly hushed, tender tone of his voice. No screaming, no taunts. He was worried, and with good reason.  
  
But Dipper didn’t have time to think about how damaged his body and mind still were. The mention of the word demon made him remember a part of his dream that had stuck out as some kind of message. “I think I know where we can find a banishing spell for Belial. It’s…risky. But I think there’s something in the museum that might give us a clue. My dream…” he sat up straighter in the bed, one arm protectively wrapped around his chest. “I saw something before…before it got bad. A tome. Everything was destroyed around it but I recognized the museum’s demonology display.”  
  
Bill was still wearing that softened expression that made Dipper feel as though he pitied him. For some reason it caused a spark of anger and helplessness to flair in his chest. Of course Bill would look down on him. The demon had come to his rescue because he was too weak. It made him feel oddly pathetic.  
  
Bill’s tone was sharper when he spoke, though, snapping a brooding Dipper out of his thoughts. “What a NERDY thing to remember from such a delicious nightmare! It is likely that Belial already has the tome in his possession...but it is worth a shot! Shooting Star, you up for a little adventure?!”  
  
Mabel shot a nervous glance at her twin, as though she were afraid he might collapse if she looked away too long. Dipper gave her a small, weak smile. “It’s okay, Mabel. We need to do this. I’ve had enough time to rest.”  
  
The demon, who had been inching closer and closer until he was practically on the boy’s lap, let out a mean laugh. “YOU?! You have the strength of a kitten right now, Pine Tree. This is a Shooting Star exclusive offer. You will stay here in Bill’s Safety Bubble™ while we are gone.”  
  
“No way! I'm coming, and I’m _fine_! Look!” Dipper channeled all of his strength into throwing the blankets off of his body and standing, hoping the other two didn’t notice the way his knees wobbled uncertainly.  
  
Mabel was on her feet in an instant, so fast it made his head spin. “Sorry Dipper…Bill and I were talking while you were having horrific yet helpful nightmares. The Alpha Twin will handle this. We were going to head out to the caves again to look around for anything useful anyway…but Bill made you something really nice and comfy!” She darted back onto her bed, sifting around a pile of sock puppets and discarded sweaters and producing a pair of fluffy purple handcuffs.  
  
Bill cackled in delight upon seeing his fine handiwork. “Yes! They’re both restraining AND luxurious! Like being held captive by two soft bunnies.”  
  
Dipper rolled his eyes, sitting down on the bed and relishing the way his whole body sighed in relief. “Seriously? Handcuffs? You guys not only planned behind my back, but you made me a pair of pastel purple _handcuffs_? Wh…where did you even get the inspiration? A sex shop? I am NOT wearing those.”  
  
A few minutes later, he found himself wearing them. They had handcuffed one of his wrists to the bed. His powerful, seething glare was somehow made less effective by the fluffy purple thing around his wrist. Floating above him was a bubble containing a matching pale purple key, which Bill had explained (with way too much excitement) would pop if he found himself in any danger and needed to escape. "Bubble within a bubble!"  
  
“You guys are the worst.” Dipper muttered under his breath, as Mabel secured her grappling hook and gave him a little pat on the head.  
  
“I love you, twinsie. Text me if ANYTHING happens. Or if you see something really cute or cool while we’re gone, like a gnome with a sparkly beard.”  
  
Bill’s languid, long body seemed to float over to him. He managed to move in such a way that it looked like he was actually levitating. Or Dipper's bleary, painkiller-addled brain were playing weird tricks on him. With Mabel in clear view, he planted a bold kiss on Dipper’s forehead, grinning maniacally as the boy turned bright red despite his anger and glared at a spot on the floor as they left.  
  
And he was alone again, with nothing but his own thoughts and a few stuffed animals to soothe him as his sister and weird, demonic, possessed-corpse-semi-boyfriend put themselves in danger to save the world.


	11. Updates!

Hey guys! Just letting y’all know I’ll be updating weekly (every Sunday) so keep an eye out for new chapters then! This next chapter is a DOOZY! And super long *thumbs up*


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